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Tales of Camelot - 3.65: What you Truly Wish - Updated 21/02/2024

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  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    Bookmarked!
    Thank you! I hope you enjoy :smiley:

    @AdamsEve1231 Nooo, you need to get proper sleep! The chapters will still be there later, don't worry. For real though - I'm so happy that you like it so much :smiley:

    @lone_cat I love reading speculation, so speculate away! The great thing about Arthur's legend is that there's so many versions of it throughout history, so there's a bunch of directions that this can go in :smiley: plus, I'm taking liberties here and there, too. I actually have a bunch of mini-chapters in my head that I want to put into the main story, but they're too random to fit in somewhere :D maybe they'll have their own filler page at some point, who knows.
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  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    Hi guys! I hope you're all doing well. It's getting pretty hot here, with June ending and all. The cats and I have been fighting it in the form of a big tupperware case filled with water and cat toys in the living room. Turns out they DO like water when there's toys floating around in it. :D
    Also, new chapter here!
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    I left a long comment on the blog, but another great chapter. No Arthur this time, but I feel like it's been a while since we got more from Morgana so it was good to see her again. More mysteries. I need some answers!
  • ArcherDKArcherDK Posts: 1,130 Member
    Just finished reading. Enjoyed the chapter a lot. I especially liked that dip into power aspect. Uther enjoys power, Morgama got a taste of power, power can be used for good and bad, All is there.

    The intrigue is interesting, but feels a bit...off. As if it comes out of nowhere. Surely that means that will be better explanation for it.

    I also have to say that the whole child segment of the story is beginning to outstay it's welcome a bit.

    In addition, I like how Morgana looks now,. Her new eyes fit her very well.
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  • lone_catlone_cat Posts: 417 Member
    I liked the mystery element that was introduced. But I'm a sucker for a good mystery! :) Morgana is growing up so quickly, she's learning about power and spies. And she's learning about the not-so-nice things that come with running a kingdom. I enjoyed that it was just her perspective, there is a lot going on her world.
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @Duvelina Thank you for commenting here too! It made my morning :smiley:

    @ArcherDK
    I'm glad you're still enjoying it :smile: I did want to introduce the mystery a little more gradually/spread out over multiple chapters, but like you say, the child stage has gone on long enough. Luckily Morgana's chapters are the last ones, after which we'll have a bit of a time skip. :blush: Thank you for noticing the eyes! I'm pretty happy with how they look on everyone, so I think I'll keep them like that.

    @lone_cat
    Thank you for reading! There's a lot going on with all of them, for sure. She didn't appear a whole lot in the last few chapters, so I wanted to give her some solo time. Her chapters will likely be the last ones for the childhood stage of the story. :)
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  • ThePlumbobThePlumbob Posts: 4,971 Member
    Aaand I'm caught up *gasp*
    I for one like the fact that you're spending a good chunk of time on their childhood, it lets us explore a different angle than teens and adults can offer and allows us to get more invested. It's clear that it won't last much longer, but honestly, I wouldn't mind if it did - I'm watching them Morgana especially grow and mature, losing her childhood far too fast, and wanting to slow down time, almost like a parent would haha. That's not to say it's a bad thing. I'm well aware its true to life in thise times, children had to grow up way too quickly.
  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    This new banner is gorgeous! Your visuals are always top-notch. I'm in love! :love:
    In respect to the three latest chapters:
    Muck-sprout! :lol: I love it! The two Arthur-focused chapters were a great look into his mind. Seeing his character fleshed out is super interesting for me because he was such an unlikable person in the first few parts. It's good to see him realize he has shortcomings and eventually grow to accept them, and even admit them to Gawain! That was a twist I didn't particularly see coming. Not that I thought that he wasn't going to eventually reach this sort of understanding that he's not all-powerful, but it came much sooner than I expected and I'm really looking forward to see him and Gawain develop their friendship. I wonder where it's going to lead...

    As to Morgana's new chapter... yikes. It's dark (I love that!) and mysterious. Her sending Helios out to Nemeth really shows that she's very clever, though I'm not loving Uther hoping that she's going to develop into a cunning person that he can assign certain tasks to... like, I'm sure that the things Uther has in mind are not the most savory of tasks. I think Morgana is more inquisitive than is safe for her, especially with matters that involve the King's shady actions. Like, of course I want to find out what happened to Ada on May Day ten years ago, the story is fascinating, but at the same time I'm like... Morgana, no! You don't want to go down this dark path! Watch out, girl! It's great writing, excellent job!
  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    edited June 2020
    Ahhh!!! This is what happens if I read something for a second time! I'm so sorry for the essay :bawling: Let me make it up to you.

    OOf Have you tried T2's Gorgeous Geisha tea? No, it's not from/made in Japan. Just a fancy gimmick-y name for fruity green tea that works on people like me. Anyway, it's the tea prepared for Morgana in the screenshot below.

    Btw I don't really know where to post this lol. Feels inappropriate here or the reading circle, but I do want to ask Morgana these questions! Ah well at least everything is hidden in a spoiler. :joy:

    Letter to Morgana - 1
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    The melodies of the night carried with it the blossoms of spring.
    Along with it the possibility of a friend from distant shores.


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    Message begins:

    Last night I had a dream of a pretty girl in a grand castle. She stood before a king and commanded a servant. She’s confident, determined, intelligent, compassionate but most of all, she seemed to want a friend.

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    In the dream, I sensed her powers, she wields magic. Niang (mother) says I am blessed with the Spirit of Wind and Water. Perhaps the touch of these elements enabled me to find her.

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    If you are willing, I would love to befriend you. I have many questions to ask you. How does it feel to be the only female high ranked noble in a beautiful palace? How do your duties differ among other nobles of your rank or gender? What do you do for fun? How often do you get to talk to commoners? What restrictions do you have?

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    For this purpose I have penned this letter to you. My name is Yanzi Shui from Shang Simla. I hope this message finds you well.


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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    _sims_Yimi wrote: »
    Hi guys! I hope you're all doing well. It's getting pretty hot here, with June ending and all. The cats and I have been fighting it in the form of a big tupperware case filled with water and cat toys in the living room. Turns out they DO like water when there's toys floating around in it. :D

    Haha. Cute. I have kitties too! P.s. read your chapter 3.
    I loved it! The intrigue... a kidnapper. I wonder what he wanted and who hired him. Oh and Richard is either going to be a foil for Morgana or an ally. Not sure yet.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @mercuryfoam Aaah, I'm sorry I took so long!
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    -

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    My dreams are visited by a girl sometimes. A child like me, yet slightly different, with raven-black hair and a laugh as pure as water. I reach out, yet I can never see her face. When I reach her, the dreams fade, and I wake up alone.
    Is it you?
    Forgive me. It took me a week before I found the courage to respond. And I still dare not give you my name, as I live in a kingdom where all forms of magic are banned.

    Yet I will take a leap of faith, and answer your questions as best I can. As princess of a kingdom, my duties are simple and very complicated at the same time.
    I was raised to understand…


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    Entertain...

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    And listen.

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    When my father passes, my brother will take over the throne. My purpose as a noblewoman is to give a son to my husband… eventually. But until then, I want to watch over my brother, and protect him.

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    He doesn’t need another soldier. He needs someone to stand beside him, and watch his back among enemies. My father says that a lady can open doors that a gentleman cannot. As long as they can entertain their opponents, understand their games, and know what to listen for.

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    The older I get, the more I start to understand that game, and the more I begin to like it.

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    You speak of your mother. I do not know mine. Is she the one who taught you magic? I have to admit I’m woefully ignorant of the subject. What does “spirit of wind and water” mean?

    If you are out there, I hope that this letter reaches you. I have never transported something to another continent before.

    It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yanzi Shui.

    Yours sincerely,
    A friend


    -

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  • yellowduckyyellowducky Posts: 12 New Member
    I read a little bit and I thought you should put the pictures next to the writing so we know what to look @ when there using speech.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @mercuryfoam and @_sims_Yimi Aahhh! This writing is excellent. So cool. I like that you're corresponding with one another this way.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    @_sims_Yimi

    This was supposed to be simple, but your question had me making a lore. :joy: Ok, I'll set up a thread since its becoming canon.
    Lore:
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    Each Celestial beast guards a cardinal direction on the compass. Their protection of the four quadrants of the skies grant harmony between elements and energies of Shang Simla.

    Dear Princess,

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    Your lovely gift and letter has reached me safely. General Bear is now my most favourite toy and constant reminder of my special friend from a distant land.

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    Though we are continents apart, your purpose and mine are the same -- to produce a son for our future husband.

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    I am not of imperial blood, but the emperor has awarded my father a great prestige for his service to the Court…

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    ... a betrothal between the fifth prince and his loyal subject’s only daughter.

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    Even so, mother insists that I master music and literature before my fourteenth Winter.

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    Father tries to impart his knowledge too, though I must confess my struggle in this regard. Their practice greatly contradicts societal norms, who declare the ideal virtuous woman to be ignorant and unlearned.

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    I suspect my education to be Father’s silent defiance against His Majesty’s ‘award’.

    ******

    Your kingdom is strange to forbid magic. Some regard it as witchcraft, but many consider it a blessing bestowed by the Celestial Guardians. Niang claims that when I was growing inside her, the Northern Spirit of Wind and Water visited her.

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    No words were exchanged, but she believes my magic is his doing. She said he resumed his true form as he returned to the skies. What about you? Perhaps your magic is a gift from the Legends too!

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    ******

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    Please accept this snow rabbit as my thanks for general bear and as a token of our friendship. I’d love to know more about you and your magic. May we continue to exchange stories of our livelihood for years to come.

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    Yours truly,

    Yanzi
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    Hi guys. I hope you're all doing well and staying safe.
    There's a new chapter out. Before you click on it - there's a disclaimer at the top of the post, but I want to point out here as well that, although there's nothing graphic (and there will never be in this story), this is a dark chapter. I hesitated on whether or not to post it for a while.
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    1.8
    The chapter started out really dark already! The ghost toddler creeps me out. Agravaine bursting out in anger makes me even more curious about what happened on May Day 12 years ago.

    I like the amount of pictures in this chapter with less text underneath. There's a lot to look at. I'm so impressed by your way of telling a story with just pictures. Incredibly powerful chapter with Morgana's shattered view of Uther. Possibly my favourite one yet.
  • ArcherDKArcherDK Posts: 1,130 Member
    First of all - that disclaimer. This story follows Arthurian legend based around MEDIEVAL times. It is EXPLICITLY stated that Camelot is burning witches for practicing magic, something they were born with. In other words, hate crime against a race or minority. This story has court intrigue, spying, abductions, bigotry and subtle repressions against lower classes of society. The story was ALWAYS dark. That disclaimer is not needed at all. In fact, I'd say that this chapter fits perfectly into the whole darkness and is not anymore dark than what has come before. It's long past funny.

    The thing is technically Morgana could easily order Agravaine to comply with her demands as a royal authority and walk away with it. Young or no, she IS a princess. He has no right to speak to her in commanding tone.

    Raising hand against a princess after a crown prince got poisoned and nearly died. After Morgana has almost been abducted. Sounds like a perfect idea. He got lucky she didn't tell. I seriously doubt that Uther would bother listening to Agravaine's excuses.

    I like how Arthur extorting Morgana is not presented as funny anymore. It is exactly that - extortion. Shrewd usage of situation.

    That...doesn't look like a sleeping spell to me. Not in the hand of untrained sorceress. Asleep or "Asleep"?

    Great idea with the trap. Speaks for itself, really.

    I love the pictures after the revelation. Morgana's world literally shattered. Makes you really wonder who is the bad guy here, does it not?

    Morgana's eyes losing their glint. There is no praise good enough for this moment.

    Now, for love of the night - do a time skip. Like, for real.

    Best chapter so far. Excellent job by all accounts. The only thing missing would be actually executions visible, but I understand why you wouldn't do that. Didn't cross the line for me, but I do know what Morgana becomes later, so I didn't expect sunshine and rainbows. Regardless, excellent work.*Applause*.
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  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    Hi @yellowducky ! Do you mean the letters, or the wordpress chapters? I’m a little confused about what you mean. =)

    @Duvelina
    I’m glad you liked it. I was actually quite nervous about this chapter, so hearing that it’s a favourite of yours means a lot <3 I tried to write more, but I realized that the text couldn’t describe it nearly as well as the pictures could, so I just left it out in the end.

    The ghost toddler creeps me out, too. My game doesn’t like it when I turn toddlers into ghosts, and they’re constantly glitching and having their limbs stretch in weird ways when they climb stairs 0.o

    @ArcherDK Thank you for your feedback!
    I know the stories, and you know the stories, but the average sims forum reader might not. I wanted to be absolutely sure that everyone understood, without a doubt, what kind of ride they are in for.

    Technically, she could, yeah. If she were older, she definitely would have. Her young age and lack of experience is the only thing that saved Agravaine from consequences here.

    Extortion! That’s the word! Gods, I was breaking my head over what the correct term was for that all night XD English. I definitely speakest it. *cough* I has the edumecation.

    Almost. There’s one last thing that needs to be addressed in the epilogue. I’m happy you’re so eager to see them all as teenagers, though ^^
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  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    edited July 2020
    Morgana, Part Two
    Just... excellent. You've been building up to this sort of dark moment, and everything was so immersive. The nightmare at the beginning really set up the tone for the chapter, it was creepy and foreboding. Agravaine... well, he's just kind of despicable, isn't he? It was very telling that his attitude changed immediately after Morgana asked him about the May Day thing. I mentioned this in my comment on the post, but, it's sad to see that Morgana has followed her curiosity and need to know about the incident to such an extent that she's now learned the full story of this awful, awful event. The screenshots you used to represent her loss of innocence and the image of her father in her head shattering, they're perfect. I'm glad that she decided not to share this newfound knowledge with Arthur and probably shatter his innocence as well.

    All the ghost toddlers in this chapter... scary. It's truly despicable to learn what really happened on May Day. Like, we knew it was going to be dark and difficult, but this really went beyond what I expected since, as you know, I don't quite know about the lore. I wonder where this is going to go in the future. What is Morrie going to do with this knowledge? I'm truly waiting with bated breath for the next chapter to see the fallout from this earth-shattering revelation.

    On the technical side of things. This chapter is really, truly excellently written. The whole story is, of course, but I found this chapter to be fantastic. The suspense, the rising dread when Morgana is going to finally uncover some answers, the overall tone. It's all wonderful and immersive. The images, once again, are fantastic. You have a wonderful ability to tell the story. I can't compliment it enough.
  • ThePlumbobThePlumbob Posts: 4,971 Member
    edited July 2020
    1.8
    I thought that was really well done - I personally didn't find it "darker than what I signed up for", but I think I've consumed enough content dealing with that era that I know what to expect. It's thoughtful of you to stay on the safe side and add a disclaimer, I'm not sure if I would have done in your place, it's a really tricky line but you can never be too safe :) Then again, just think about the Grimm brother "fairy tales" - a lot of those were aimed at children, had no disclaimers, but are definitely pretty disturbing!

    Tangent-aside, I really enjoyed the pacing in this chapter, and how it told a self-contained story - even if we weren't necessarily familiar with the key players and the established backstory in this chapter, it would have still made sense as a standalone piece, and even offered its own conclusion - which I realise is intended for character building down the line, but it would totally work as a short story of its own.

    I've shared most of my thoughts on your blog already, the only thing I forgot to say was that I've noticed Morgana's magic is growing stronger day by day. Should be exciting to catch up with her once the time jump happens, since if she's made this much progress just between us first meeting her and now, imagine what a few years will do when it comes to her magic powers!

    Also, I'm loving Arthur. That smug little brat is just too precious. While Morgana's storyline makes me eager to see what comes in the next stage of their lives, Arthur's is the opposite - I want to stop time and have him stay like this forever. Sigh.
    Post edited by ThePlumbob on
  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    Ah geez I swear, I separated my comments into paragraphs for easy viewing. I have no idea how wp bunched them all and made a literal wall of text for you. Sorry about that.

    How did you make Morgana's glowing green aura around her? I'm loving the intricate artistic details you add on your own in this chapter. It conveys the mood so well <3 And I'm mindfully keeping this short! :lol:
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @ajamkeevin Thank you for commenting here, too <3
    Agravaine is… well, you’ve seen him. His biggest redeeming quality here (and perhaps his only quality) is how determined he was to shield his niece from it. For all his shadiness, he was right in believing that she was too young. Have I ever mentioned their age? Morgana acts mature, but she’s only twelve years old, and Arthur is only thirteen.
    Your compliments are making me blush. I can’t take all the credit, though. The legend already exists, after all. I’m merely trying to make it mine by using the sims. Because of course a cartoon-ey game where sims regularly pee themselves and can woohoo in dumpsters is the best possible choice for that. What was I thinking? XD

    @ThePlumbob
    Thank you for letting me know! I wanted to make sure that nobody sensitive was blindsided by this, so I’m glad that people are so positive. And holy cow, don’t make me start on the old Grimm stories. They were amazing, but wow, are they disturbing sometimes XD
    Well noticed! I’m trying to subtly show it in her eyes turning greener too, but I never actually showed a close-up before, so that fell a bit flat, haha. Future chance it is!
    Child Arthur is best Arthur. I’m sure I will say the same about Teenage Arthur and Adult Arthur. But there’s just something so precious about them as kids.

    @mercuryfoam
    Wordpress separated them properly on this end, so no worries!
    My secret is… wait for it…
    Aliens. Seriously. It’s the alien trait. There are no aliens in my story, but I always thought that their “very angry” or “very sad” glow looked like a magic aura more than something alien. So I’m using it to show Morgana’s more extreme moods. ^^ I used to give her individual buffs via MCC, but it takes FOREVER to find them in the list, so I ended up just slapping the alien trait on her for those segments.
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @mercuryfoam I'm loving your story correspondence. I might have missed something but how did you get started doing this? Or what prompted your creativity? I know there's a pen pals feature in game. I always thought it would be a fun idea to write between characters but I haven't done it myself.
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  • ThePlumbobThePlumbob Posts: 4,971 Member
    @ajamkeevin @_sims_Yimi
    I was just thinking about what you guys were saying about Agravaine, and I actually don't know if I see him as evil, in the grand scheme of things - at least based on what we know so far. I think he's a pragmatic man, and by no stretch of the imagination warm and fuzzy, but ultimately the order had come from the king, what was Agravaine to do? He can only advise, but I don't see him as someone that would risk their position by trying to defy orders. If we go by what he said when Morgana got the spy, and the solid advice he gave Arthur about not lying who he is back when he was trying to figure out how to deal with Gavaine, combined with his efforts to shield the kids from what is the ugly reality of living in their times... I don't know, I feel like he's quite a complex character. But maybe I'm just looking for good where there is none :) I'm not trying to justify the things that happened, of course - please don't go thinking I torture puppies in my spare time :D
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 We were talking about our stories and comparing things, and @mercuryfoam mentioned how ToC made her want to craft a historical sim story, too. We got excited about our main characters being pen pals, and it all snowballed from there. :D

    @ThePlumbob
    This is a very good point. There's definitely layers to him, and you are right about his hands being tied as an adviser. There's not a single character in the story that is completely black or white - they're all shades of grey (well, except maybe Gawain, but let's ignore that :D ). I wonder - if you were in his position, and your niece was dangerously close to finding out something that might traumatize her, what would you have done in his place?
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